Fabric



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` FABRIC Filed May 5, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTORNEYS Feb. 23, 1965 Filed May 3. 1962 E. M. HOFFMAN 3,1 70,493

FABRIC 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 AAA/ INVENTOR EYS Feb. 23, 1965 E. M. HOFFMAN 3,170,493

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INVENTOR Eigen/e /l/l. Hof/maw Feb. 23, 1965 E. M. HOFFMAN 3,170,493

FABRIC Filed May 5. 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 l N V E N T OR Zig. 35. wyew/m//af/mw TTORNEYS 'Eugene Hoffman,

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial. No. 63,395, filed Octobery 18, 1960, for Methods of Weaving, Looms and Fabrics, now U.S. PatentNo. 3,060,974, granted October 30, 1962.

The present invention relates to fabrics, particularly pile fabrics woven from transverse pile wires such as carpets and rugs.

The principles of the invention in their broadest application are capable of being applied to transverse wire looms.

A purpose of the invention is to float in the face or pile vof a fabric pile yarn over two or more pile Wires, and Athen to cut the pile yarn from above at a point intermediate between such wires or intermediate between the legs of the float loops thus produced.

A further purpose is to weave a pile fabric over transverse pile wires', forming pile floats over two ormore pile wires and weaving they wires into the fabric, and then to cut from above such floats after the pile wires have been woven into the fabric and before the pile wires have been removed from the fabric and preferably at the middle of such floats.

A further purpose is to form pile floats over two or more pile wires and above one, two, three or more pile binding yarn ends, and to cut such iloats from above at a position intermediate between the pile wires.

i A further purpose is to locate the point of cutting from above at a position near the middle wire of a transverse wire set, between the first and the last wire.

A further purpose is to extend the cutter down between two pile wire's during the operating of cutting lloats from above. One of the great advantages of the invention is that the wires can be used to guide the cutter, and this is best achieved when the cutter is inserted between transverse pil'e wires on either side beyond the fabric. The pile wires have a certain amount of lateral flexibility, and once the cutter is inserted between the pile wires the cutter is guided to remain between that pair of wires `as it moves across a transverse wire loom. The insertion of the cutter between the pile wires may be facilitated by reducing thel thickness of the wires at the top thereof at the point beyond the fabric where the cutter is inserted, so as to provide more space between the wires at the top, and to prevent thecutter from interfering and hanging up on top of a pile wire.

A furtherl purpose is to form cut pile which is higher than normal pile formed over a single wire by cutting from above floats over two or more pile wires at intermediate positions on such floats, the normal pile being cut or uncut as desired.

A further purpose is to avoid cutting normal pile loops while cutting the float loops from above.

VA further purpose is to form face yarn pile floats over one pile wire and over one or two or more pile binding yarn ends and to avoid cutting from above such floats over one pile wire while at the same time cutting from above floats which extend over two or more pile wires.

A further purpose is to apply certain aspects of the invention to velvet weaving and to vapply certain aspects of the invention to Wilton weaving.

The invention is also applicable to weaving which is neither velvet nor Wilton per se, such as single shot or .United States Patent aliases Patented Feb. 23, 1965 Mice times called lamination.

A further purpose is Kto form staggered or basket weave high floats of two or more pile yarn sets or frames in succession across the fabric, with or without normal vsingle wire pile, said staggered floats 'extending over two or more pile wires, andk said pile wires being straight or wavy as desired, and cutting from above atleast some of said staggered floats.

A further purpose is to weave staggered multiple pile wire floats over pile wires and to selectively 'cut such floats from above at positions between the wires.

A further purpose is to weave multiple pile wire floats over two or more pile wires which are at different heights on opposite ends of the iloat and to cut said floats at positions intermediate betweenl tne pile wires from above.

A further purpose is toweave multiple pile Wire floats over two or more wavy pile wires and to cut such floats from above at positions intermediate between the pile wires. It will be evident that the opposite ends of each iloat maybe over wavy wire portions which are both of similar heights or both 'of different heights on the respective wires as desired. K v

A further purpose is to weave multiple pile wire floats over .the lowportions` of two o r more wavy pile Wires and to cut said oats from above at positions intermediate betweenA the pile wires. l Y

A further purpose is to weave Imultiple pile wire floats over low portions of wavy pile wiresrand to weave normal pile loops over high portions of single wavy pile wires, to cut the multiple wire floats over the vlow portions from above at positions intermediate between the pile wires and subsequently towithdraw the pile wires without producing robbing "of previous loops since the remaining loops over the wire being withdrawn are only over `the high portions ofthe pile wires.

A further purpose is to weave multiple pile wire iloats over low portions of wavy pile wires having cutters at the end remote from the head beyond the shed, to weave normal pile loops over highportions of single wavy pile wires, to cut the inultiple wire floats from above at positions between the pile wires, and then to withdraw the pile wires and cut the normal pile loops without robbing previousvloops since the loops formed over the pile wire being withdrawn are formed only over the high portions of the wavy pile wire.

A further purpose is to weave multiple pile -wire floats over transverse pile Wires having noncutting spoons or flags at the ends opposite to the head beyond the shed, to cut the floats from above at positions between the pile wires, and thenvto'withdraw the pile wires successively, raising normal loops formed over single wires to the height of the spoon or llag and causing robbing of previously formed cut from above pile at the edge of a cut-from-ab'ove lloat area to produce a gradation in pile height.

A further purpose is to weave multiple pile wire floats over transverse cutting pile wires which may be either straight or wavy pile wires, to cut the floats from above intermediate between the legs of the float loops, and subsequently to withdraw the pile wires.

A further purpose is to weave multiple pile Wire floats over pile wires and to selectively cut such floats from above between the pile wires, the cutting being selectiveV at intervals alongA the length of the pile Wires, or being selective as to depth, or being employed only in certain rows, or any combination thereof, and subse- 'quently to remove the pile wires from the fabric.

A further purpose is to form Ilow pile yarn floats over pile binding wefts close to the back of the fabric, and to cut, score or rough up said low floats at a position intermediate between pile wire positions after the weaving andbefore removal of the pile `wires to improve the coverage in ,the wells (that is, areas where low under- ,the-wire floats are vpresent and visible at the face of the fabric). j t

A further purpose is to produce a pile fabric composed of interwoven backing warp yarn, binding warp yarn and binding weft yarn shots, and face warp yarn forming pile projections, the base legs of which extend warp- Wise and are bound under different binding weft shots and the pile projections forming a continuous series of weftwise and warpwise rows covering the entire face of the pile fabric and which comprise in any said weftwise row 4and any said warpwise row -a 'series of'- (A) Uncut loop Ipile projections with base legs bound under adjacent and consecutive binding weft shots,

(B) Matching pairs of cut pile tufts with each base leg bound underV a different binding weft shot, said different binding weft shotsk being separated by an intern mediate binding weft shot,

(C) Alternating groups of said uncut loop pile projections and said matching pairs of cut pile tufts,

(D) Matching pairs of said cut pile tufts all higher than said uncut loop pile projections,

(E) A well area or areas in which face yarn ends are under two or more binding weft shots (rejected) without forming pile.V

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

InV the drawings I have ychosen to illustrate a few only -of the numerousembodiments in which the invention may appear, selecting the forms shown from the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

The weave diagrams show the weave formation in the dent which is in the plane of the paper, and in addition in numerous cases show the` formation of the fabricV in a dent or dents behind the plane of the paper. Thus it ,will be evident that the illustration is essentially the same in the case of a two-frame pile fabric from the standpoint of a longitudinal section, whether a full threadin is used with an end of each frame in each dent, or

whether the ends of the different frames are threaded in f at least alternate dents, or whether crowding is used, with in some casesy ends of each frame or a partial frame present in a particular dent, land in other cases ends of one fra-me only present in one dent and ends of another frame only present in the next dent as desired.

In order to economize on drawing, the individual guires showing fabrics have been drawn with the intention that each ligure can be used to show one part of a fabric whereas another one of the figures will show another part of the same fabric or of a different fabric as desired. Thus it will be desirable in many cases to use the construction of one of the figures in certain areas and use the construction of other figures in other areas. In the case of low oats or low rejected pile, it Will be evident that this can be used in well areas along with the various constructions of high pile in the pile areas.

FIGURE 1 is anexpanded warpwise sectional weave diagram-of a pile fabric according to the invention woven over'straight noncutting pile wires and exhibiting two wire high floats, normal high pile and wells.

FIGURE 2 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram showing the fabricof FIGURE 1 after cutting of the high iloats from above according to the invention and withdrawal of the wires.

FIGURE 3 is an expandedwarpwise sectional weave dia-gram of a two-frame pile fabric having staggered two-wire iloats woven over straight noncutting pile Wires.

FIGURE 4 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram showing the fabric of FIGURE 3 after cutting of the floats in accordance with the invention and after subsequent withdrawal of the Wires.

FIGURE 5 is an expanded Wa-rpwise sectional weave diagram showing a fabric having staggered low floats, which may represent the well areas in apile fabric.

, FIGURE 6 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 5 Vwhich shows the effect of cutting the low floats at ,posijtions corresponding to the positions betweenrthejpile wires, and after withdrawal of the pile Wires.

FIGURE 6a is an expandedwarpwise sectional weave diagram showing a fabric which has partially cut low `tufts .prior to removal of the wires after the cutter has `vshowing the fabric of FIGURE 7 after cutting of the floats from above and subsequent withdrawal of the wavy pile wires. Y

FIGURE 9 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram showing a two-frame pile fabric having twowire high floats from both frames Woven over low portions of wavy pile wires and normal pile woven over high portions of the wavy pile wires, the wavy pile Wires having cutters at the ends remote from the heads beyond theshe'd.V

FIGURE l() is a View corresponding to FIGURE 9 showing the fabric of FIGURE 9 after cutting of the floats fro-m above at :positions lbetween, the pile wires and subsequent withdrawal of the pile wires.

FIGURE 1l is an expandedrwarpwise sectional weave idiagram showing a fabric similar to that of FIGURE 3,

Woven over straight noncutting pile wires, which however are of different heights.

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to FIGURE 11 showing the fabric of FIGURE 11 after cutting of the floats from above and subsequent withdrawal of the pile wires. Y FIGURE 13 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagramv of a two-frame pile fabric showing two-wire high floats and also normal pile loops woven over straight noncutting pile wires which are of different height. Floats Aare formed over high pile wiresand over low. pile 'wires and overhigh and low pile wires.

FIGURE 14 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 13 showing lthe fabric of FIGURE 13 after cutting of the floats from above between the pile Wires and subsequent withdrawal of the pile wires.

FIGURE l5 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram showing a two-frame pile fa'bric according to therinvention with each frame having two-wire high floats and also normalpile loops and also low floats, the pile being woven over straight cutting pile wires.

FIGURE 16 is a view corresponding vto FIGURE 15, illustrating the fabric of FIGURE l5 after cutting of the lloats from above between the pile wires, but before withdrawal of the pile wires.

FIGURE 17 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 16 showing the fabric of FIGURES 15 and 16 after ywithlrawal of the pile wires which have cut the normal pile oops.

FIGURE 18 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram of a two-frame pile fabric according to the invention in which one frame has two-wire high iioats and 10W floats and the other frame has normal pile loopsl and lo-w iloats, the pile being woven over straight non-4 cutting pile wires.

FIGURE 19 is a View corresponding to FIGURE lS showing the fabric of FIGURE 18 after selective cutting; from above of certain of the floats, leaving other floats uncut, and after subsequent withdrawal of the pile wires.`

It will be evident that FIGURE 19 shows the structure of a fabric in dents behind the plane of the paper. FIGURE 2O `is an expanded warpwise sectional weave v diagram of a two-frame pile fabric, having staggered twowire high oats woven over straight noncutting pile wires. FIGURE 21 is a View corresponding to FIGURE 2() showing the `fabric of FIGURE after cutting from abovev the high lloats in selective rows and leaving theA high oats in other row-s uncut, and after subsequent withdrawal of the pile wires. It will be evident that FIGURE 2l shows fabric structure in dents behind the dent which is in the plane of the paper.

FIGURE 22 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram showing a single frame pile fabric having normal pile loops and `also two-wire high floats woven over both high and low portions of wavy noncutting pile wires.

FIGURE 23 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 22 show-ing the fabric of FIGURE 22 after cutting from above the high floats which are over 'the high portions of the wavy pile wires, and subsequently withdrawing the wavy pile wires.

FIGURE 24'is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram showing a two-frame pile fabric woven over noncutting wavy pile wires, the pile yam forming two-wire high floats over both high and low portions of such wavy pile wires. FIGURE 24 shows structure of the fabric behind the dent which is in the plane of the paper.

FIGURE 25 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 24, showing the fabric of FIGURE 24 after selective cutting `of the high floats and subsequent withdrawal of the pile wires. It will be evident that a portion of the fabric is shown which is behind the dent which is in the plane of the paper.

FIGURE 26 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram showing a two-frame pile fabric woven over straight noncutting pile wires. One frame forms twowire high pile floats and also low lloats and the other frame forms normal pile loops and low floats. FIG- URE 26 is similar to FIGURE 1 and is useful in showing the operation being performed in cutting from above in FIGURE 27 in a somewhat different manner from that in which FIGURE l was cut.

FIGURE 27 is a View corresponding to FIGURE 26,

showing the fabric of FIGURE 26 after selective cutting from `above to cut the high lloats in certain rows, and lafter subsequent withdrawal of the pile wires.

. FIGURE 28 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram of a two-frame pile fabric, illustrating formation of staggered four-wire high floats over straight noncutting pile wires also having normal pile loops.

FIGURE 29 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 28, showing the fabric of FIGURE 28 after cutting of the high floats from above and subsequent withdrawal, of the pile wires.

FIGURE 30 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram showing a two-frame pile fabric formed over straight noncutting pile wires. One frame forms normal pile loops, two-wire high floats over a single pile binding yarn end, two-wire high floats over two pile binding yarn ends, and two-wire high floats over three binding yarn ends, and the other frame forms normal pile loops.

FIGURE 3l is a view corresponding to FIGURE 30, showing the fabric of FIGURE 30 after cutting of the high floats Vfrom above and subsequent withdrawal of the pile wires.

FIGURE 32 is a view similar to FIGURE 30, but showing the fabric formed over dilferent height noncutting wavy pile wires. FIGURES 32 and 33 show the structure of the fabric in dents behind the dent which is in the plane of the paper.

FIGURE 33 is a view similar to FIGURE 32, but illustrating the high iloats cut from above and the noncutting wavy wires subsequently withdrawn.

FIGURE 34 is an expanded warpwise sectional weave diagram showing a two-frame pile fabric woven over straight noncutting pile wires. Each frame `forrns twowire high lloats, `and also forms floats over one pile wire and one pile binding yarn end and over .one pile wire and two pile binding yarn ends. v

FIGURE 35 is a view similar to 34, after cutting of the two-wire high lloats from above without cutting the onewire floats, and subsequent removal of the pile wires.

FIGURE 36 is an expanded warpwise' sectional weave diagram, showing the pile -wires beyond the section in perspective, illustrating normal pile and also two-wire high floats woven over flag or spoon Iwires.

FIGURE 37 is a View corresponding to FIGURE 36, showing the effect on the fabric of FIGURE 36 of cutting the high floats from above and subsequently removing the tlag or spoon wires. f

FIGURE 38 is a photographic face view of a further fabric according to the invention.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to the drawings:

In the usual practice of weaving with' transverse pile wires, cutting of loops on the loom is usually yaccomplished lby cutters which are positionedat the ends of the wires remote from the head beyond the shed. So-called umbrella wires having grooves at the top have also been employed, and in this case a cutter running in such groove has been moved longitudinally of the wire along the top of Ithe wire. The cutter moving along the umbrella wire was in some cases hand operated and in other cases mechanically actuated. v V

In either case the effect was to produce a cut tuft which was relatively similar in height to the height of the normal pile loop.

In some cases, random and pattern selective shearing have been applied to the face of a fabric with the View vto forming cut pileof variant height or cut and uncut pile. In this case .it has been difllcult to obtain a precisely regu- I In accordance with the present invention, high floats are formed over two or more pile wires in a transverse pile wire yfabric which in some cases will be produced on the velvet loom and in some cases on the wilton loom or on modified versions of either, and the high floats are cut after the completion of the weaving in of the pile wires and while the pile wires are still woven into the fabric, by a cutter operated from above along a line intermediate between two pile wires or intermediate between the anchorages of the legs of the floats. The point of cutting will in most cases preferably be at the middle of the float. The float in many cases will be at two-wire high tloat, but other lengths of high floats may be used, for example, three, four or more wire high floats. The floats may vary in the number of pile binding yarn ends over which the floats span, and for example in two-wire high floats the floats may -span one, two or threesuch binding ends. Similar variations will exist in the case of high floats over more than two wires.

The cutter which accomplishes the cutting from above will suitably extend down between two pile wires, but will not extend `far enough down to cut the back of the fabric and thus damage the backing yarns.

In order that the wires may adequately support the pile which is being cut from above, the cutting is desir'- ably accomplished at a position intermediate between the first and the last wire of the pile wire set. The pile wires are .resilient in the yfabric and the cutter vshoe will suitably slightly force the pile wires apart as it moves in the space between the adjoining pile wires.

The effect will be to produce cut floats of equal matching length which are slightly higher than normal pile,

other conditions being equal. Thus, the fabric can have loop-s formed over individual pile wires and bound on either side beneath adjoining pile binding yarn ends, and these normal pile loops will not becut by -the cutting from above, ybut when the wires are removed can either remain uncut, where the pile wires yare noncutting wires, or can be cut when the pile Wires are =removed, by cutters on the ends of the pile wires remoted from the head and beyond the shed. v

Not only willvthe cutting from above avoid cutting normal pile loops, but it will also avoid cutting floats over a single pile wire, which are oatiug over one or two pile binding yarn ends, and thus uncut pile of an intermediate height Vbetween the high multiple wire float tufts and normal pile can be obtained if desired.

If wavy pile Wires are used, normal pile can be formed over the wavy pile wires and when the wavy pile wires are Withdrawn, robbing of previous loops will take place where lloops are carried over low portions of the wavy pile wires.

If desired, however, normal loops can be formed only over high portions of the wavy pile wires,r and then the lwavy Ypile wires can be withdrawn without robbing previous loops, leaving uncut loops of uniform height, or if the wavy pile wires are cutting, forming cut tufts of uniform height. It will be evident that in producing a fabric of the type under discussion, proper coordination of the wavy wire pattern and the jacquard pattern is important.

Thus, the pile wires themselves can be cutting wires, and if cutting wires, can be either straight or wavy wires.

The pile wires themselves also can be spoon or flag wires, having non-cutting high portions at the ends remote from` the head beyond the shed. If multiple wire high oats lare formed by the same pile frame, or pile Warp set, when the spoon or flag wire is withdrawn from a loop over a single-wire after cutting of the floats from above, robbing ofthe previous pile projection will take place,.tending to form a gradation in the pile heights.

The high floats themselves may be over straight pile wires and the straight pile wires may -be of uniform height or of different heights, in which case the high floats may be over a high pile Wire at one end of the float and a low pile wire at the other end of said float. If

- 8 in Harding U.S. Patent 2,477,248. Binder orY backing warp sets 70 and 71 are woven .preferably on a two-shot basis with a stutter warp set 72, pile Warp `frames or sets 73 and 74, upper or binding wefts 75 and lower or back wefts 76.

At the step in the cycle at which an upper or pile bindv ing weft 75 is to be inserted, inFlGURE l, one of the wavy pile wires are used, the floats may be over high por- Y tions of the wavy pile wires or low portions of the wavy pile wires or over both high and low portions of the wavy pile Wires.

In this case interesting effects can be obtained by cutting from above high floats which are only over the high portions or only over the low portions or sometimes over the high portions and sometimes over the low portions,

.since tufts of kdifferent heights will be produced.

Improvements in coverage in the wells Where low oats Y appear may be obtained by cutting the low floats or by merely abrading or roughing up the low lloats at positions which correspond to those intermediate between pile wires or intermediatebetween the anchorages of the low lioats.

The cutter may be manipulated by hand if desired, but it is preferably operated by the mechanism of the loom. The method and mechanism for making the fabric are shown in my U.S. Patent No. 3,060,974 above referred to.

I illustrate in FIGURE 1 a pile fabric, suitably a carpet or rug, which has been woven and is still on the loom, showing the transverse pile vwires in place. A typical Wilton loom of the type which may be employed is shown binder Warp sets is raised half-way and all other warp sets except those pile Warp ends which are selected to oat are lowered, the ends which are selected to float or raised at least half-way, and the binding weft 75'is inserted.

At the next step in the cycle, the binder warp sets are in the same relative position, and the stuffer warp set 72 is raised half-way, forming a lower shed. The pile warp sets 73 and 74 if selected are fully raised (above the wire position), forming `an upper shed. A wire 7'7 is inserted in the upper shed and a lower or back weft '76 is inserted in the lower shed.

Before the next step in the cycle, the binder Warp sets reverse, and in the next step in the cycle normal pile is bound beneath the next binding weft and pile which is to remain in the high floating position remains in the position above the binding weft. Thus, normal pile loops 78 bound beneath adjoining binding wefts are formed from selected ends of pile warp set 74, and high two-wire floats Sil are formed on the other pile warp set. Each of the pile warp sets also for-ms in Well areas 82 low floats 81 which are above one binding weft and bound beneath binding Wefts on either end of said floats.

The wires 77 in FIGURE l are shown as being plain or straight noncutting pile Wires of any suitable height.

After several `wires of the wire set have been inter-V Woven in the fabric according to usual practice, but before the lirst wire of the set has been withdrawn, the twowire high oats are cut at a point intermediate between the pile wires to form tufts 83 having base legs 83 which are of greater height compared .to the normal vpile as shown in FIGURE 2. Since the cutting is desir` ably done intermediate between the -two wires of a particular high iioat, or intermediate between the base .legs of the float loop, by a cutter from above, the tufts are of equal length. The cutting does not cut the normal pile loops 78 having base legs 7S whichremain unchanged.

In the form of FIGURE 3 both pile yarn Warp sets form two-wire high oats in staggered relation to one another over the straight noncutting pile wires 77, and after the pile wires have been Woven in, cutting from above is accomplished lrow by row along ther line .of the middle of each row of oats, resulting in the high tufts 83 of FIGURE 4. If desired, loops of normal pile can be employed at intervals to hold the pile wires in the fabric after the cutting from above and before the pile wires are withdrawn as in normal practice.

The fabric of FIGURES 3 and 4 can be produced on a velvet loom Without the necessity of using a Vjacquard as in Wilton practice, cutting from above all or substantially all of the staggered multiple wire high floats, or the same general type of fabric can be produced over wavy pile wires as later explained. Likewise, with this fabric the cutting from above can be controlled according to a pattern sequence, sometimes cutting and sometimes not cutting the high floats as later explained. Of course, the fabric of FIGURES 3 and 4 can be produced with normal cut or uncut pile in the background, if desired.

In FIGURES I illustrate a well area of a pile fabric having staggered low pile yarn floats 81. The principles Of the invention can be employed as shown in FIGURE 6 to improve the coverage in this well area by reducing the leanness of the face yarn. This can be accomplished by running a cutter transversely of the low oat loops intermediate and preferably at the middle between the anchorages of the staggered low floats, on a line which would correspond tothe middle of the space between two pile wires. Precautions should be taken to avoid cutting the yback of the fabric as by the'use of a suitable guiding shoe on the cutter as later explained. As a result, low tufts 84 can be obtained, or if desired the iioat cutter may merely abrade or rough up the low floats from above to improve the coverage in t-he wells, without completely severing them.

FIGURE 6d shows the effect of partial cutting of the low tufts, after the cutter has run between the wires and before the wires have been withdrawn. The finished fabric, after removal of the wires is sho-wn in FIGURE 6b.

While at the left of FIGURES and 6 the fioats are over single binding wefts, at the right of FIGURES 5 and 6 the floats form low tufts 84 which prior to cutting fioated over two adjoining binding wefts at 842. The low tufts 84' will be shaggier than the low floats 84.

Y cutting type, and the two-wire high floats Si) are formed overvthe high portions of the wavy pile wires, while two-wire high floats S0 of less great height are formed over low portions of the wavy pile wires. FIGURE 7 also, illustrates the formation of a high oat S92 which is over a high portion of the wavy wire at one end and over a lower portion of the wavy wire at the other end. The fioats may be over the low portions only of the wavy pile wires, in which case normal pile can be formed over thehigh portions of the wavy pile wires, if desired. By cutting from above at a position intermediate between the pairs of'pile wires, FIGURE 8, high float tufts 83 are produced where the fioat was over the high part of the wavy pile wire and lower float tufts $3 are produced where the float `was over lower parts of the wavy pile wire. Tuftsl 83 are formed where the fioat loop 862 was over a high portion of a wavy wire at one end and over a low portion of a wavy wire at the other end.

Where the pile wires are wavy cutting wires 772 as showny in FIGURE 9, with high two-wire floats from both pile warp sets 73 and 74; over the Wires, the cutting from above intermediate between .the wires while the wires are woven in will convert any high floats over high portions of the wavy wires (not shown) to high tufts, and as shown in FIGURE l0, willconvert highY fioats over lower portions of the wavy wires to lower tufts 83. Then when the wires are subsequently pulled, normal pile loops "iiiv are converted to normal pile tufts `85y which are still lower. Since, in this form, the normal loops 7 8 are only over the high portions of the wavy wires, no robbing frorrl adjoining pile projections occurs when the cutting wavy pile wires are pulled.

Thus, there will be produced in FIGURE 10l tufts 831 formed over low portions of the wavy wires and cut from above and tufts 85 formed over high portions of the wavy wires and cut subsequently when the cutting wavy wires are Withdrawn. In FIGURE 1() it will be evident that pile warp ends are shown whichk can form well areas rejected or beneath binding weft/s. As well known in Wilton technology, the rejected pile can be carried in the back of the fabric in the wells for any desired distance. Y

FIGURE l1 shows a fabric similar to that of FIGURE 3 formed over noncutting straight pile wires 77, with alternate pile -warp sets or frames forming two-wire high floats, but with the wires in this case of differing heights, so that'some of the floats are over a high wire and a lower wire, as shown.

After the pile wires have been woven into the fabric,

the floats are cut from above at positions intermediate between` each two pile wires, resulting in a certain amount of J -t1 1ft ing, producing` tufts 8S having gradations of height, FIGURE 12.l In this case as in that of FIGURES wires of the same height and two-wire high floats'S' pile tufts 9i? on both frames.

of camel back variety over pile wires of different heights, one low and one high. After cutting from above at a position intermediate between the pile wires in the successive float rows, the result is some J-tufting as shown at S5 in FIGURE 14. Cut pile is produced except at points of pattern ychange where ordinary loops 38 result, and' these are not cut from above and remain uncut as shown in FIGURE 14.

Where pile wires individually of uniform height but separately of different heights are used, the sequence in heights between wires Will vary accordingly to any desired pattern arrangement such as low-high-high-low, or lowmedium-high-high-medium-low or a combination thereof. The J-tufting obtained may be desirable to produce carved effects, acting as transitions between higher tufts andlow tufts or low loop areas.

FIGURE 15 shows a pile fabric woven over straight cutting pile wires 773 of uniform height. Both pile yarn warpsets 73 and 74 form two-wire high floats and also normal pile loops raised over one wire; and bound beneath adjoining binding Wefts.

FIGURE 16 shows the fabric of FIGURE 15 after the cutter from above has cut the two wirev high floats to form the long tufts 83, leaving low floats 81 in the wells 82. The pile wires have not yet been withdrawn.

FIGURE 17 shows the fabric of FIGURES, 15 and 16 after the pile wires have been withdrawn, the pile wire blades cutting the normal pile loops 78 to form normal The result as shown in FIGURE 1-7 is pile fabric with two heightsl of pile tufts.

FIGURE 1S shows a pile fabric having two pile yarn warp sets or frames woven over straight noncutting pile wires 77. One frame or pilev yarn warp set forms normal pile loops 7S and low fioats 81 and the` other forms two.- wire high floats 3u and low floats 81.

FIGURE 19 shows the same fabric after cutting from above has been applied selectively, that is, in eachv row cutting some of the two-wire high floats and leaving others uncut. FIGURE 19 shows structure in the fabric behind the dent which is in the plane of the paper; Thus, at some points across each transverse row there will be high tufts S3 and at other points in the same transverse row there will be oat loops 8f)y which are higher than the normal pile loops 7S, but lower than the lcut-fromabove oat tufts 83. After this selective cutting operation by cutting from above, the wires have been vwithdrawn to produce the finished fabric of FIGURE 19.. Low lioats 81 are seen in weils 82. The cutter operates on a line which is intermediate between eachpair of pilewires, which define the ends of the float loop, and preferably at the middle, moving up and down relative to the fabric accordingto a suitable control as later explained so as to cut certain high floats and not others.

FIGURE 2O shows a pile fabric having two-pile yarn warp sets or frames which alternate in forming two-Wire high floats as shown at Si). This fabric may desirably conform with FIGURE 3. At cutting from above positions between certain pairs `of pile wires as indicated by arrows 91, a cutter from above is run after completion of the Weaving in of the pile wires, and before the pile wires are withdrawn, while at other points where no arrow 91 is shown there is no cutting from above. Noncutting straightpile wires 7-7 are used in weaving the fabric.

After cutting from above as just described in selected fioat rows, and withdrawal of the pile wires, the resulting fabric of FIGURE 21 has in some rowshigh tufts 83 and in other rows somewhat lower float loops 80.

of individual float rows as previously shown and de- Vintermediate between each pair of pile wires at a depth 'which will cut the floats over the high portions of the wavy pile wires but not cut the floats over the low portions of the wavy pile wires. This retains uncut float loops which were formed over the low portions of the wavy pile wires in uncut condition. When the pile wires are subsequently withdrawn, the result is high cut tufts formed by cutting Afrom above, the iioats over the high portions of the wavy pile wires, as shown at 83, float loops 80 which were formed over the low portions of the wavy wires and tufts 92 lowered by robbing a prior cut-from-above tuft from withdrawal of the adjoining wavy wire as well known in the art, asl shown in FIGURE 23. This permits robbing from the side of the wire from which robbing was previously not possible.

It willbe understood that in some cases it will be desirable to synchronize the wire pattern and the jacquard pattern in weaving according to FIGURES 22 and 23. In some cases, however, adjustment of the depth of cutting from above .will be accomplished so as to cut the high floats which are over high portions of wavy wire at both ends, while leaving uncut the camel back floats which are over high portions of wavy wires at one end and over lowportions of wavy wires at the other end.

It will be evident of course that the design can if desired provide floats whose ends are only over the high portions or only over the low portions of the wavy pile wires, or this can be done in certain areas. This makes it possible to have the cut-from-above pile formed from the low pile wire portions, if the cutter is made to cut pile iioats over the low portions, having the same height as uncut pile formed over the high portions in certain adjoining areas. In this case the float cutter is manipulated up and down relative to the fabric to cut to different depths between wires at dilerent positions transversely of each floatirow as later explained.

FIGURE 24 shows a pile fabric having two pile yarn warp sets or frames which form oats over high and low portions of the wavy pile wires 77, of noncutting character. The cutting-from above technique is applied so as to cut selectively only certain high oats and only certain low oats, leaving some floats uncut. Thus, in row A high and low floats are cut as will be seen in FIGURE 25, in row B the high floats only are cut, and in roW C both the high and the low two-wire over-the-wire floats are left uncut. When the pile wires are pulled after completion of the cutting from above, the resulting fabric as shown in FIGURE 25 involves high tufts 83 and two-wire high float loops 80 which are of various heights as determined by the wavy wires influenced by robbing.

When the noncutting wavy pile wires are removed, this will in certain cases influence the height of adjoining pile projections by robbing. Uniquely compared to other fabrics, this robbing can take place in both direc-y tions, forward of the wire which is in process of removal or rearward of that wire, depending on the circumstances. Thus the loop'89 has been pulled down by robbing action as known in the art. Also, one of theV prior cut-from-above high float tufts 89 has been reduced in height by robbing of a unique character, which takes place on tufts formed adjacent to wires that still, remain woven in the fabric.

.pile wire bound beneath adjoining binding wefts.

Where it is desired to have the cutter cut-from-above high iioat loops but not lower float loops in a particular iioat row, this can readily be accomplished by adjusting or setting the depth to which the cutter knife extends down in between the pile wires.

FIGURE 26 shows a pile fabric having two pile yarn warp sets or frames woven over straight noncutting pile wires 77, to` form normal pile loops and low floats on one. frame and two-wire high floats and low lioats on the other frame. After cutting from above at a position intermediate between some of the wires, leaving other float rows uncut, thevr result in FIGURE 27 after withdrawing the wires is high cut tufts 83 and uncut somewhat lower float loops 8),V low normal loops 78, and low floats 8l in the wells 82. Y

In the above specilic illustrations the high floats have been.twowire high floats, but it will be evident that the high floats can extend over more than two wires. Where the high floats extend over more than two pile wires it'will be evident that they can be cut from above without cutting fabric projections or structure which is beneath them. Y

FIGURE 28 shows a pile fabric having two-pile yarn warp sets or frames 73 and 74, each of the frames forming normal pile loops over single pile wires bound beneath binding wefts on each end, and four-wire high floats 93, the lloats being alternate as shown. After the weaving has been completed and the pile wires are woven in but not yetwithdrawn, cutting from above of the four-wire high floats 93 at a position intermediate between the two center wires of the four-wire groups is accomplished at the position of the arrows 94, resulting in exceptionally high tufts 832 and normal uncut pile loops 78 after the wires are withdrawn as shown in FIG- URE 29. In order to accomplish cutting from above at the desired positions 94 in FIGURE 28 it is important to use a pattern'controlled cutting vwhich will'omit cutting from above in two-pile-wire rows as shown.

In the previous description the two-wire high floats are woven over two-pile wires and over one binding weft. This will however not necessarily be the case and in FIG- URE 30 I show a pile fabric havingY two pile yarn warp sets or frames, woven over straight nocutting pilewires. One pile'warp set forms normal pile loops 78 and the other pile warp set forms normal pile loops 78, twowire high floats loatingV over one binding weft, Vtwowire high floats 95 oating over twobinding wefts, and two-wire high floats 96 floating over three binding wefts.

-Where the float is over an odd number of binding wefts and over two Wires, the tufts are of equal matching length as shown. Where the iloat is over two wires and over an even number of binding wefts, the tufts are of uneven length as shown.

FIGURE 31 shows the same fabric after the cutter from above has run in the space intermediate between each pair of wires, resulting in tufts 83 from cutting from above a lioat 80 over one binding weft, uneven height tufts 97 from cutting from above two-wire high float 95 over, two binding wefts, and still higher tufts'98 of even height from cutting from above a two-wire high oat 96 over three binding wefts. The resulting fabric as 'seen in FIGURE 3l after withdrawal of the noncutting pile wires has a carved effect with several heightsof pile tufts as well as uncut normal pile loops in the pile background. f

FIGURE 32 shows a fabric similar to FIGURE 30 but woven over wavy noncutting transverse pile wires having different maximum heights. One pile yarn warp set or frame 74 forms normal pile loops 78 over a single The other pile yarn warp set or frame 73 forms such normal pile loops 78, forms camel back two-wire high lloatsV 87 over oney binding weft, formscamel back two-wire high floats 100 over two binding wefts and forms camel back two-wire high floats 101 over three binding wefts.

After completion of the weaving and before the pile wires are wtihdrawn, cutting from above is accomplished at an'interrnediate line between each pair of pile wires, and the result is, as shown in FIGURE 33, uneven height tufts 102` from loops 37', uneven height tufts 103 from loops 160, and uneven height tufts 104 from loops 101, individual tuftsbeing of selectively dierlent heights, so as to give a pronounced carved effect, with a pile background of wavy normal pile loops 78 accomplished by robbing when thewavy wires `are pulled out. Different forms of pile background can be accomplished by weaving the fabric of FIGURES -32 and 334 over either cutting straight pile wires or cutting wavy pile wires as desired. kIn somey cases it is desirable to utilize partial high floats which will not be cut .byy the cutter from above, along with full multiple wire high'fioats which will be cut. FIGURE 34 illustrates a pile fabricwoven with twopile warp sets or frames over straight noncutting pile wires 77. One pile yarn warp set 74 forms two-wire high floats 80 and also one wife partial floats 195 over one binding weft andone-wire partial oats 106 over two binding wefts, while the other pile warpl set 73 has two-wire high floats 80 and partial floats 105 and 106 along with normal pile loops 78. After completion of weaving .and cutting the two-wire high floats from above between each pair of pile wires, using a cutter which cxtends down between the pile wires to a limited depth as suggested by the arrow but does not extend down as far as the partial floats, the one-wire partial floats 165 and 106 remain uncuty as shown in FIGURE 35, while the two-wire high floats till' are cut and produce opstanding tufts 83 above a background of the'partial floats 10S and 106 and the normal pile loops 78. The cutter, when cutting from abve, passes above the partial floats and if it touches Vthem they vtend t yield. v

The fabric of FIGURES 34 and 35 can also be made using wayy pile wires and cutting pile wires, the cutting pile wires being either straight or wavy as desired, producing variations in pile background effect.

In some cases it is desiable to weave over non-cutting spoon or flag pile wires 774, as shown in FIGURE 36. The wire itself as shown in FIGURE 38 has a conventional head 107, a straight body 103 and a high portion or spoon 110 at the end remote from the head beyond the shed. In FIGURE 36 a single pile warp set or frame is' woven over the pile wires to form normal pile loops 78 over single wires and 'two-wire high oats Si). After completion of weaving but before withdrawal of the pile wires, cutting high floats from above is accomplished at an intermediate position between each pair of pile wires, and the result is the severing of the two-wire high float loops to make high tufts 83. When the flag or spoon wires are withdrawn, the ags or spoons produce a robbing effect that pulls down the tufts at 111 and forms higher loops 112 since no robbing of previous loops can be accomplished by the next float tufts 83 when the wire is withdrawn. This robbing can involve either pile loops or tufts ahead of the Wire or pile tufts behind the wire which is being removed. This gives a very desirable gradation between the low normal pile area consisting of loops 78 and the high tufts 83.

FIGURE 38 refers to a pile fabric which is composed of interwoven backing warp yarn, binding warp yarn, binding weft yarn shots and face warp yarn forming pile projections. The base 4legs of the pile projections extend warpwise and are bound under different binding weft shots and the pile projections forming a continuous series of weftwise and warpwise rows covering the entire face of the pile fabric and which comprises in any said weftwise row and any said warpwise row a series of,

(A) Uncut loop pile projections with base legs bound under adjacent and consecutive binding weft shots,

(B) Matching pairs of cut pile tufts with each base leg bound under a different binding weft shot, said dif- 14 ferent binding weftvshots being separated Aby an intermediate binding weft shot,

(C) Alternating groups o'f said uncut loop pile pro- Vjection's and said matching pairs of cut pile tufts,

(D) Matching pairs of said cut pile tufts all vhigher than said uncut loop pile projections.

It will be evident that with two or more different pile frames, the yarn of the different framesfmaybe of different character including color, weight,y construction o'r materials` In View of my invention and disclosure, variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to lothers skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the fabric shown, and I, therefore, clairn all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: j

1. A pile fabric composed 'of interwoven backing warp yarn, face warp yarn, pile projections of said face warp yarn having base legs, weft yarns, including binding weft yarn, which :bind the warpwise extending base legs of said pile projections, said pile projections forming a covering face pile arranged in weftwise and warpwise rows each of which includes cut and uncut pile projections, and said covering face pile comprising the following types:

(A) a series 'of matching pairs of cut pile tufts of equal height having base legs in selected warpwise rows with each said base leg of said matching pairs of cut pile tufts bound under different binding wefts, said different binding wefts being separated by an odd number of intermediate binding wefts, all said cut pile tufts being of equal length producing areas of level cut pile, and;

(B) Uncut loop pile projections with base legs bound under adjacent and consecutive binding wefts.

2. A pile fabric of claim 1, in which the base legs of said matching pairs of cut pile tufts are separated by only one intermediate bindingy weft. j

3. A pile fabric of claim l, in which some areas of the covering face pile are composed of well areas in which there are low pile projections which have base :legs bound under dierent binding wefts, said different binding wefts being separated by at least one intermediate binding weft under the said low pile projection.

4. A pile fabric of claim 3, in which the base legs of said low pile projections are separated by only one intermediate binding weft.

5. A pile fabric of claim 1, in which some areas of the covering face pile are composed of well areas in which the face yarn is under at least two adjacent and consecutive binding wefts without forming a pile projection between the said adjacent and consecutive binding wefts.

6. A pile fabric of claim 1, in which some areas of the covering face pile are composed of uncut loop pile projections with base legs of the said uncut loop pile projections bound under different binding wefts, said different binding wefts being separated by at least one intermediate binding weft.

7. A pile fabric of claim 6, in which the base legs of said loop pile projections are separated by only one intermediate binding weft.

8. A pile fabric of claim l, in which some areas of the covering face pile are composed of high uncut float pile loops as compared to said uncut loop pile projections, said high uncut float pile loops having base legs with each base leg of the said high uncut float pile loops bound under different binding wefts, said different binding wefts being separated by at least one intermediate binding weft.

9. A pile fabric of claim 8, in which the base legs of said high uncut iloat loops are separated by only one intermediate binding weft.

10. A pile fabric of claim l, in which some areas of the covering face pile are com-posed of Well areas in which there are low pile projections which have base legs bound under different binding wefts, said different binding Wefts being separated by at least one intermediate binding weft under the said low pile projections, and in which other areas of the covering face pile are composed of well areas in which theV face yarn is under at least tWo adjacent and consecutive binding Wefts without forming a pile projection between the said adjacent and consecutive binding wefts. Y p

11. A pile fabric of claim 1, in which some areas of the covering face pile are composed of Well areas in which there are low pile projections which have base legs bound under different binding Wefts, said different binding wefts being separated by at least one intermediate binding weft under the said low pile projections, and in Which other areas of the covering face pile are composed of uncut loop pile projections with base legs of `the said loop pile projections bound under dilferent binding wefts, said different binding werfts being separated by at least one intermediate binding weft;

12. A pile fabric of claim 1, in which some `areas of the Y covering face pile are composed of Well areas in which there are low pile projections which have base legs bound under different binding Wefts, said different binding wefts being separated by at least one intermediate binding weft under the said low pile projections, and in which other areas of the covering face pile are composed 'of a partially cut pile projections with each base leg bound under different binding Wefts, said different binding Wefts being separated by an odd number of intermediate binding wefts.

13. A pile fabric of claim 1, in which some areas of the covering face` pile are composed of Well areas in which there are 10W pile projections which have base legs bound under different binding wefts, said different binding wefts being separated by at least 'one intermediate binding weft under the said low pile projections, and in which other areas of the covering face pile are composed of high uncut float loops as compared to said uncut loop pile projections, said high uncut float pile loops having base legs with each base leg of the said high uncut'oat vloops bound under different binding Wefts, said different binding Wefts being separated by at least one intermediate binding weft.

14. A pile fabric of claim 1,A in which some areas of the covering face pile `are composed of Well areas in which there are low pileV projections which have base legs bound under differentbinding wefts,said different binding wefts being separated by at least one `intermediate binding weft under the said low pile projections, in which other areas of the covering face pile are composed of Welll areas in which there is face yarn under lat leastjtwo adjacent and consecutive binding Wefts without forming a pile projection between the said adjacent and consecutive binding wefts, and in which still lother areas ofthe covering face pile are composed of uncut loop pile projections with base legs of the said loop pile projections bound under different binding Wefts, said diferent binding wefts being separated by at least one intermediate binding weft.

15. A pile fabric composition of interwoven backing Warp yarn, face Warp yarn, weft yarns including binding weft yarn, pile projections of said face warp yarn having base legs extending Warpwise and being bound under different binding wefts, said different binding Wefts being separated by an odd number of intermediate binding Wefts, at least some of said pile projections being partially cut on the face side of the fabric.

16. A pile fabric of claim 15, in which said base legs are bound under different binding Wefts separated by only one intermediate binding weft.

17. A pile fabric of claim 15, in which all of said pile projections are partially cut on the face side of the fabric.

References Cited by the Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 124,848 0f/78 France.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL' C. MADER, Examiner. 

15. A PILE FABRIC COMPOSITION OF INTERWOVEN BACKING WARP YARN, FACE WARP YARN, WEFT YARNS INCLUDING BINDING WEFT YARN, PILE PROJECTIONS OF SAID FACE, WARP YARN HAVING BASE LEGS EXTENDING WARPWISE AND BEING BOUND UNDER DIFFERENT BINDING WEDTS, SAID DIFFERENT BINDING WEDTS BEING SEPARATED BY AN ODD NUMBER OF INTERMEDIATE BINDING WEDTS, AT LEAST SOME OF SAID PILE PROJECTIONS BEING PARTIALLY CUT ON THE FACE SIDE OF THE FABRIC. 